Yesterday four of us met in Llanfair PG to do a couple of short walks on Anglesey. The first was a visit to Bryn Celli Ddu an impressive Neolithic chambered tomb, with partially restored entrance passage and mound, on the site of a former henge monument. What sets Bryn Celli Ddu apart from the other tombs on Anglesey, is that it is the only one to be accurately aligned to coincide with the rising sun on the longest day of the year. At dawn on midsummer solstice, shafts of light from the rising sun penetrate down the passageway to light the inner burial chamber.
The last time I visited this tomb, I was with Hugo's Mate and when he walked past the gap at the back of the tomb he saw a "tramp" in a red coat and refused point blank to go inside it. He bottled it completely.
Undeterred, I went in through the narrow corridor and ahead and facing me was a long haired and white bearded man dressed in a flowing red cape. He slowly gestured with his hands to come into the chamber and said "come, come" so as I entered the wider chamber I was then greeted by five women who also also did the same gesture and spoke the same words. I immediately realised that I had interrupted something and had a quick look around and then left. I later saw their vehicle and a sign on the window said Druids on board.
This time we had the tomb to ourselves and had a good look around before driving to St Mary's Church on the banks of the Menai Straits. We walked through the Church yard to get to the beach and the tide was low so we were able to view the statue of Nelson from the Straits side. Then we followed the shoreline until we came to Pwll Fanogl and the delightful old building on the pier and then past the fabulous looking former water mill. We then returned to the car by way of the main road and headed off to the Bull in Pentraeth to enjoy a pint of beer and one of their excellent carveries.
